I am a shy person and will only respond to the person next me IN MOST CASES if they respond first on a flight. Boomer's approach is fine and in some cases I strike up a conversation.

The one exception: If I see a particularly attractive UNMARRIED woman I will do my trick by leaving my cat picture out. Most cases it gets a response (Like Chris to New Orleans and Yvonne to DFW.)

*SORRY IF THAT SOUNDS SEXIST, BUT I'M SINGLE WITH CATS!!!

But JIMBOLIGUY... Don't worry if you get seated next to me. I don't burden my few problems to strangers. I only do that to my closest friends. The worst thing you could get subject to is me showing a picture of my cats.

JIMBO: You may be on to something: a book called Jetiquette. What airlines should do is have the gate agent screen the passengers and those with exposed armpits or other potentially scandalous body parts should be given a shirt or a jacket to put on... explaining "The air conditioning's very high!) Then have them turn the items in when they get off (of course washing them after every flight.)

I have to admit I sometimes take my shoes off
on long haul flights because my feet swell up. But at least I know jetiquette and my socks are clean and smell springtime Bounce Fresh!

I have experienced many of the problems you have described not only in coach but in FIRST (Where once I was seated to this real intoxicated man who babbled the whole red-eye flight back from LAX about breaking up with his girlfriend when he wasn't passing out and snoring.)

Most cargo should be stored downstairs. Except my cats! The bags are small enough they can be carryon's and put under the seat in front of me.

I've heard horror stories about pets in cargo. This is off topic but it made me thing of it. CATMAN